Search results for "Mediterranean region."
showing 10 items of 210 documents
Association of the rs4988235 in the lactase gene with obesity and its modulation by dairy products in a Mediterranean population
2011
The -13910C>T polymorphism (rs4988235) upstream from the lactase (LCT) gene, strongly associated with lactase persistence (LP) in Europeans, is emerging as a new candidate for obesity. We aimed to analyze the association of this polymorphism with obesity-related variables and its modulation by dairy product intake in an elderly population. We studied 940 high-cardiovascular risk Spanish subjects (aged 67 ± 7 years). Dairy product consumption was assessed by a validated questionnaire. Anthropometric variables were directly measured, and metabolic syndrome-related variables were obtained. Prevalence of genotypes was: 38.0% CC (lactase nonpersistent (LNP)), 45.7% CT, and 16.3% TT. The CC genot…
The Burden of Mental Disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990-2013.
2017
The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is witnessing an increase in chronic disorders, including mental illness. With ongoing unrest, this is expected to rise. This is the first study to quantify the burden of mental disorders in the EMR. We used data from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) 2013. DALYs (disability-adjusted life years) allow assessment of both premature mortality (years of life lost-YLLs) and nonfatal outcomes (years lived with disability-YLDs). DALYs are computed by adding YLLs and YLDs for each age-sex-country group. In 2013, mental disorders contributed to 5.6% of the total disease burden in the EMR (1894 DALYS/100,000 population): 2519 DALYS/100,000 (2590/100,000 m…
Sensitization to dust mite defines different phenotypes of asthma: A multicenter study
2017
Background Indoor allergens are risk factors for asthma: Thus, the characterization of indoor air quality is important for studying environment–health relationships in children. In particular, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is the dominant allergen for asthma. We cross-sectionally investigated the relationships among respiratory symptoms and function, airway inflammation, allergen sensitization, and indoor allergen concentration. Methods One hundred and thirty-two children aging 10-14 years and living in a Southern Mediterranean area were evaluated by parental questionnaires. Spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), skin prick tests, total, and specific serum IgE analyses were performed alo…
Human Y-chromosome variation in the Western Mediterranean area: Implications for the peopling of the region
2001
Y-chromosome variation was analyzed in a sample of 1127 males from the Western Mediterranean area by surveying 16 biallelic and 4 multiallelic sites. Some populations from Northeastern Europe and the Middle East were also studied for comparison. All Y-chromosome haplotypes were included in a parsimonious genealogic tree consisting of 17 haplogroups, several of which displayed distinct geographic specificities. One of the haplogroups, HG9.2, has some features that are compatible with a spread into Europe from the Near East during the Neolithic period. However, the current distribution of this haplogroup would suggest that the Neolithic gene pool had a major impact in the eastern and central …
Gene-environment interactions of CETP gene variation in a high cardiovascular risk Mediterranean population
2010
Genome-wide association studies show that cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are more strongly associated with HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations than any other loci across the genome. However, gene-environment interactions for clinical applications are still largely unknown. We studied gene-environment interactions between CETP SNPs and dietary fat intake, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity, and diabetes on HDL-C in 4,210 high cardiovascular risk subjects from a Mediterranean population. We focused on the −4,502C>T and the TaqIB SNPs in partial linkage disequilibrium (D'= 0.88; P < 0.001). They were i…
Total polyphenol excretion and blood pressure in subjects at high cardiovascular risk.
2011
Background and aims Dietary factors are critical for the prevention and treatment of hypertension, but data on the effects of specific nutrients on blood pressure (BP) are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between total polyphenol excretion (TPE) in urine, as an objective measurement of total polyphenol intake and BP in an elderly population at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results Cross-sectional substudy of 589 high-risk participants entering in the PREDIMED trial. BP was measured and TPE was determined in urine by Folin–Ciocalteu assay. A significant positive association was observed between TPE in urine and daily intake of fruit and vegetables (F&V), c…
Survey on the presence of non-dioxine-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded in south Mediterranean coasts (Sicily, So…
2017
A total of 71 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded along the coasts of Sicily (Southern Italy) were examined for nonâdioxine like polychlorinated biphenyl (NDL-PCB) levels in muscle and adipose tissue by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method. The results revealed 6 high-indicator congener (â6PCBIND) levels in 45% of the loggerhead turtles examined, with mean values of 980.39 ± 2508.39 ng/g wet weight in adipose tissue and 102.53 ± 238.58 ng/g wet weight in muscle tissue. The hexachloro and heptachloro PCB congeners were the most abundant in both the sample types. The highest NDL-PCB levels were reached in an adipose tissue sample of a logg…
Obstructive sleep apnoea and metabolic syndrome in Mediterranean countries.
2011
To the Editors: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is often associated with metabolic disturbances, including altered glucose metabolism and dyslipidaemia, which probably contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk in these patients 1. The concept of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors has gained popularity in recent years, and a much higher prevalence of the MetS has been found in OSA patients compared with the general population in several studies 1. While the MetS largely reflects the effects of visceral obesity, environmental factors, i.e. the type of diet, could also play some role. The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil and fish, is protective…
Food quality and nutraceutical value of nine cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits grown in Mediterranean subtropical environment
2019
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) quality is strongly influenced by genotype but individuating the most appropriate harvesting time is essential to obtain high quality fruits. In this trial we studied the influences of the ripening stage at harvest (mature-ripe or green-ripe) on quality of ready to eat mango fruits from nine cultivars (Carrie, Keitt, Glenn, Manzanillo, Maya, Rosa, Osteen, Tommy Atkins and Kensington Pride) grown in the Mediterranean subtropical climate through physicochemical, nutraceutical, and sensory analysis. Our results show a large variability among the different observed genotypes and in dependence of the ripening stage at harvest. With the exception of Rosa, mature-ripe f…
Risk factors for non-melanoma skin cancer in kidney transplant patients in a Spanish population in the Mediterranean region.
2013
Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most frequent malignancy in organ transplant recipients. The aetiology of NMSC after transplant is multifactorial. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and environmental factors involved in the development of NMSC in a Spanish kidney transplant population from the Mediterranean region. A total of 289 patients who had received a kidney transplant during the period January 1996 to December 2010 were included in the study. Both prospective and retrospective data were used. All patients underwent a structured interview and a complete examination of the skin. After a median follow-up of 72 months (range 12-180 months), 73 of the 289 patients …